


The Love Confession Incident

by Nightingalewithatale



Series: A Series of Incidents [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Sweet Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Sweet Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:01:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24238471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightingalewithatale/pseuds/Nightingalewithatale
Summary: Considering how Arthur confessed his love to Merlin, the knights really should not surprised that they keep getting involved in the consort and king's relationship. After all, it was their fault.Set before The Chainmail Incident
Relationships: Knights of the Round Table & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: A Series of Incidents [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748995
Comments: 11
Kudos: 483





	1. Operation: Catch a Merlin

Gwaine waited a year, a  _ year _ , to see if Arthur would do it. A year since Morgana came back. A year since Merlin revealed his magic. It was  _ time. _ Hell, the knights had a massive betting pool, which had been started by Morgana and Gwen. They were practically floored when Gaius, a year ago, handed them a small brown purse of gold coins, commenting, "I say one year and three months from now," which was oddly specific, but they accepted it. 

It had been a year since they made bets and they were all fed up. 

Arthur stopped short at the sour faces that greeted him in the armory. He cleared his throat as he adjusted his gauntlet. "Is everything alright?" 

"No," Hissed Gwaine, which earned him a shove from Elyan. "You're taking too long." 

Arthur's eyebrows raised. "Excuse me?" 

"Ignore him." Leon interjected, ever the diplomat. "He's had too much ale again." 

"No, I haven't." Gwaine stood and stomped over to Arthur. "Look, we can all tell you  _ like  _ Merlin so just confess already." 

The king froze, his brows knitting together. "I do  _ not _ like Merlin." 

The room went silent, staring in disbelief at their king. Did he really not know? Or did they completely misread the situation? Well, no, they couldn't have. Leon knew Arthur when they were children and he never acted the way he did around Merlin with anybody else. 

Footsteps echoed down the stairs that lead into the hall above them. "Well, hello to you too, prince prat." Came Merlin's voice from behind Arthur. He shoved his way in, carrying a large amount of swords. After dumping them on an empty bench rather haphazardly, he squeezed by Arthur again, who had yet to move. "I have to run errands for Gaius. I'll be back later." 

Merlin clearly thought little of the interaction between Arthur and his knights.

After the servant's footsteps vanished, the knights turned to their king. Leon stared at his oldest friend. 

"You can't be serious." 

Arthur stared back, confusion marring his face. "Of course I am. Merlin's an…" He paused grasping for words. "Idiot." He turned and bounded up the stairs as if he were being pursued by a particularly aggressive wildren. 

"I think he's the idiot." Gwaine murmured, glaring at the prince's retreating from. 

* * *

"Alright, men. We've got to do something about this." Lancelot spoke with all the authority and leadership of a prince.

"Yes," said one of the newly appointed knights of the round table. "I can't bear to see the king in such denial either." 

"No," Snapped Gwaine from across the round table. "To settle the bet." 

Percival slapped him upside the head. 

"Alright, for Merlin's sake then." 

The wooden door creaked open for a moment to allow the King of Camelot to enter into the room. He blinked upon seeing his knights already present and accounted for. 

"You're all here early." He mused, placing the scroll in his hand on the table in front of his chair. Sitting down, he blinked. Everyone was looking at him expectantly, and not like they usually did. This was intense. 

Lancelot spoke up. "You like Merlin." 

Arthur's mouth fell open but refused to make a sound. "I do _ not _ ." He defended, shaking his head venomously. 

"Yes, you do. Everyone can see it except for you." 

Suddenly, the doors flung open to reveal an angry Merlin. Stomping into the room, he threw himself onto the floor, leaning against the wall. He huffed. 

"What's wrong with you?" Arthur was the first to ask. 

The servant glaringly lifted his head and patted his throat. 

Merlin's voice sounded in everyone's head.  _ I can't speak.  _

Before he could even attempt to explain why, Arthur broke in. 

"Thank God for small mercies." 

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the windows began rattling. 

_ That doesn't mean I can't do magic, Dollophead. _

As the windows stilled, his tongue moved, jabbing against the inside of his cheek, as his lips puckered, as if he were moving something that tasted particularly bitter around in his mouth. 

"Like I said, small mercies." 

The topic quickly changed from Arthur's questionable love for Merlin to attempting to stop Merlin from turning Arthur into a toad, which ended up with Merlin storming out of the room, leaving the knights to ponder why he'd even come in the first place. Perhaps just to annoy the king or cause general, subdued chaos.

* * *

Despite his unfinished duties, Merlin couldn't be found wandering about the halls. 

Only a few hours later, a young woman, beautiful and fair, dark hair streaming down her back onto her dark blue dress, glided up to Gwen and Morgana who were taking a walk around the garden together. She grinned mischievously and held up a small bag of gold coins. "I'd like to add to the betting pool. I say in a month's time." 

They stared at her, startled by her abruptness. 

Her relaxed grin turned tight when Arthur came around the corner and met them. 

"Have either of you seen my idiot manservant? He was supposed to meet me in the training yard half an hour ago." He turned to the young women. "Hello." 

She bowed, her legs forming a small, slightly wobbly curtsey at the last minute. Her pink lips quirked into a pleasant smile. "Sire." She greeted, haphazardly, her dark curls dancing in the gentle breeze as she pressed the money into Gwen's unready hands.

"Wait," He stopped her from hurrying away. "Do I know you?" Arthur asked, his eyes studying her as if she were an arithmetic problem he didn't quite understand. "There's something familiar about you, around the eyes." 

The dark blue folds of her dress ruffled, her hands bunching them, almost nervously, despite her confident aura. Her corset heaved with her breath as if she were struggling to keep her breathing controlled. To Morgana and Gwen, it seemed as if she were just learning to wear a corset, if her breathing was anything to go by. After a short moment of thinking, she licked her lips, a small undetected stuttering gasp slipping out. "It's very flattering that you remember me, Sire. I launder all the castle's fabrics, including your own. Perhaps you've seen me in the halls?" 

He nodded. "Yes, I think so." 

She bowed again, a hand at her heart, and swept away, her skirts flowing behind her, revealing just a hint of a mucky brown boot that went unnoticed by all present.

The woman almost broke into a run upon hearing Arthur say that he was going to give Merlin extra duties if he didn't find him within the next fifteen minutes. 

It was only ten minutes later when a resounding  _ Merlin! _ Echoed throughout the castle when the king caught a glimpse of his servant's booted foot skidding around the corner of a sharp corridor.

* * *

While Merlin and Arthur were on a hunting trip that was not necessary, except as an excuse for being alone together which Arthur venomously denied to his knights - _ No, it's his punishment for not being where he's supposed to be-  _ Gaius entered the armory, an unlikely occurrence and surprising sight. The knights still had training despite Arthur's absence.

From under his sleeve, Gaius pulled a small pouch of coins and handed it to Leon. 

"Where are you getting this from? You already gave us some." 

Gaius laughed to himself softly. "It's from Merlin's stash." 

Through a mouthful of apple, Gwaine balked, coughing. "He knows?" 

"Bah, of course not! I took it." 

They stared at the physician. Lancelot rolled his lips together. "Oh, Gauis, you didn't…." 

"Of course I did. Merlin won't have need of it with the way things are going." The old man smiled knowingly.

* * *

A whole three weeks. A whole three weeks of Arthur denying his feelings. The knights had had enough. It was time for drastic measures. 

They went for a hunt, which -  _ no, Merlin. You're not invited. _ - _ Great. I hate hunting. Arthur, you practically killed me on the last one. I'm not a pack mule, you know.- Could have fooled me.-  _ took them as far away from Camelot as possible without Arthur getting suspicious. 

They stopped by a small stream for a break. 

They cornered him. 

No escape. 

"You like him." Percival murmured softly. 

Arthur froze, the cool water dripping down his face as he crouched down to drink. 

"No, I don't." 

"Yes, you do." Laughed Elyan. "It's obvious. It's alright." 

Rolling his lips, Arthur shook his head. "I don't know why all of you think that. Merlin is so... _ Merlin. _ " He tilted his head, rubbing his sore neck. Merlin had taken all his pillows and hid them,  _ just to annoy him, _ under the guise of washing them. "I doubt that bumpkin even knows anything about-" 

"He knows." Interjected Gwaine casually, biting into an apple from his pack. 

The whole forest seemed to go quiet with those words. The knights stared in disbelief. 

Leon spoke up. "Gwaine...did you…." 

"Yep!" He chirped. "Has a pretty little backside, too. Though it's not as pretty as his-" 

Arthur's face, now an angry red, convulsed as his eyes dilated, barely able to push out a full word. 

From Gwaine's throat ripped a laugh. "See! You do like him!" 

Arthur leaned back on his heels, a hand scrubbing over his face. The knights were surprised to see him look so tired, so sad, all of a sudden. 

"No, he's...I can't." He whispered, staring down into the stream. "I just can't." 

Lancelot took a step forward. "If it's because he's a servant-" 

"No-I-" Arthur answered, words watery. "He's…." 

"Merlin." They chorused. 

"Yeah." 

Arthur sat down fully on the ground with a thump. 

"Then what are you afraid of?" Asked Percival kindly. 

"I...there's too much...class difference, I suppose, in a way. You know how loyal he is. I'm...what if he doesn't feel the same way but goes through with it? I don't want that kind of life for him." 

There was a silence that had never been heard from the knights before, contemplative and quiet.

Until Gwaine broke it, that is. 

"With all due respect, Princess, have you meet Merlin?" He grinned at the almost heartbroken prince. "He won't do anything that he doesn't want to." 

Exhaling a small rueful laugh, Arthur grinned wistfully as his knights agreed, chorusing their answers. The king's pointer finger rested against his lip for a moment, thinking. His words were barely audible over the babbling of the brook. 

"I think, even if he doesn't love me back, I can live with that. As long as he stays by my side, I'll be happy, no matter what choice he makes." 

The knights stared at their normally emotionally constipated king. They should have taken notes. If Merlin could be wooed, more like tamed if they were honest, those words would make him melt. 

Gwaine clapped his hands together. "Wonderful! Now let's head back and tell Merlin." 

_ "What."  _ Arthur wheezed, attempting to regain his breath, which had suddenly evacuated his body at an alarming rate. 

"Gwaine, he's just admitted it to himself. He can't just  _ tell Merlin."  _ Leon reasoned, taking a step to block Gwaine from manhandling their king into standing up.

"Why not?" 

"You may move fast, but that doesn't mean everyone else can." Elyan interjected from the other side of the stream. 

"If he doesn't do it while that speech is fresh in his mind, he'll mess it all up." 

"We'll help him then." Percival announced with a smile. 

It was agreed they would help their king confess to Merlin.

Operation: Catch a Merlin. 

It wasn't until they were back on their way to Camelot when Leon quietly questioned Gwaine. 

"Did you really? With Merlin?"

Gwaine smiled, laughing at his king's eavesdropping insecurity, which was barely hidden by the man in front of them, filing it away for future use. "No, of course not. I hold Merlin to higher standards than myself."


	2. Or how a Merlin catches you

Arthur's best knights found themselves at a secret meeting in the king's chambers along with Gwen and Morgana. "I assume you all know why you're here." 

His hands folded in front of his face, making him look very grave and serious, as if he were discussing war, which he was in a sense, Arthur exhaled before lowering his fisted hands. "Let's begin: how." 

Morgana's red lips widened even farther in a smile. The men around the table shivered at her expression as she sat opposite Arthur at the other end of the table. "Do what he likes. Not what you like." 

"A picnic!" Gwen chirped. "If you feed him, he won't stop coming around." She had learned the hard way. Luckily, she enjoyed his company. 

"Give him a book of poetry." Their heads swiveled to look at Leon in confusion, except for Arthur who chose to ignore the suggestion. "We know he likes that."

"We do?" Elyan questioned. 

"Moving on!" Arthur hissed, his hands moving in a placating gesture, hands spread in front of him. 

"When." 

"We can't decide that for you." Everyone responded in variations without a pause, make Arthur blink. 

Arthur rubbed his face. "...alright. I'll figure something out." 

The meeting was abruptly adjourned when a certain servant entered the room suddenly, balancing a large platter in his hands. Several other platters floated in behind him. 

He knew they were meeting there, they realized, but hopefully not the reason. 

They'd been discovered. Abort. Abort. 

"...And that's why I don't pee in the woods anymore." Gwaine said rather loudly. "Oh, hi, Merlin!" 

The servant only laughed and set their meals in front of them before exiting into the servant's quarters, off of Arthur's main room, grabbing the basket of dirty laundry that he had left in there earlier.

"Is he living in there now?" Gwen asked after he was well into the other room, still slightly muddled by the fact that Merlin brought her a plate as well. 

"No, just keeping some books in there." Though, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Merlin actually take any books in there. Maybe he magiked them in there.

* * *

Today was the day. 

Blast the bet, all of it, today had to be today or the knights would riot. 

Morgana would kill the king if he didn't do anything soon. She was tired of the longing glances. 

The training field would be the perfect place to invite Merlin on a private picnic. Asking would be the hardest part. Hopefully. 

He sat on the far end of the training field on a bench near the rack of swords. 

Morgana stood next to Arthur, her arms crossed. Her pink lips formed a thin line. "If you don't do anything soon, I'm going to go over there and tell him. Romance be damned."

Rolling his shoulders, Arthur exhaled, holding his head high. 

His most trusted knights thumped him on the back. 

"You can do it." 

"I can do it." 

He took a step forward. 

"I can't." 

He spun to face his friends who had become his family. 

Gwen huffed and speed forward, gripping the king by his shoulders. "Arthur," Her voice commanded attention. "You've fought Wilddeoren, sorcerers, Wyvern, bandits, and  _ dragons. _ Surely you can tell Merlin, who's barely as scary as a mouse, how you feel." 

The king straightened his chainmail and stomped off toward his servant, who looked very interesting in the whole ordeal. Lancelot held his tongue, keeping himself from pointing out that it was actually  _ Merlin _ who did all of those things, not Arthur. 

Merlin's eyebrows knitted together as Arthur approached him. An amused smile plastered the servant's face. "Why are you walking like that?" 

"Like what?" 

"Like you're going into battle. You're practically marching." 

Arthur swallowed, ignoring the comment. "Merlin," He began, the servant's eyes studying his face. His bright blue eyes glisten in the warm sunlight. His nose and cheeks, slightly reddened by the light, puffed and scrunched with his smiling, pink lips. His lashes blinked at him innocently. Oh, God, was Arthur even breathing? "Clean my chambers before I get back from training and start a fire for tonight." 

"Arthur, it's not that cold." 

"Just do what I say, Merlin." 

As the king turned away, he muttered to himself. "I'm such a coward." 

Upon hearing that statement, Merlin frowned but said nothing. 

_ I'll tell him when he brings dinner tonight. _ Arthur told himself.  _ No excuses. _

* * *

"Arthur, they told me you wanted two servings tonight. Are you that hungry? Remember your belt." Merlin teased as he entered the royal chambers, the trays floating in behind him. 

The room being dark, except for a few candles, Merlin could barely see. He commanded the trays, telling them to go to the table. Snapping his fingers, the fire lit itself in the fireplace, revealing a pensive looking king, whose face was lit only by the firelight. He sat in his favorite chair, a fist under his chin, leaning against the arm. 

Merlin clicked his tongue. "Why are you in the dark?" 

"You didn't light the fire when I told you too."

Pausing in uncovering the dishes, Merlin shook his head as if it were obvious. "No, it would have gotten too hot in here." 

Arthur turned from staring into the fire. Standing and inching his way to the table, he studied his servant. His voice softened as he sat down in his regular chair.

"You never do listen, do you?"

Merlin shook his head. "Can't say that I do, no." 

Arthur nodded, looking down at his food. He pushed the second tray to rest in front of the seat next to him, which Merlin stood behind. "Sit."

Merlin, slightly confused, pulled the chair out and sat down. 

"So you do listen." 

His voice stuttering airly, Merlin hesitated. "Only when I want to." He watched Arthur, his mind working at some kind of problem. "Arthur, what is it? You can tell me." 

"That's what I'm afraid of." 

Tilting his head, Merlin waited. "Just tell me." 

Building up his courage, Arthur looked at Merlin, his breath catching in his throat, his heartbeat pumping heavily through his body. 

Just say it. Just  _ say  _ it. 

Sayitsayitsayitsayit _ sayit,youcoward. _

"I need a piece of paper." Arthur made to get up, but Merlin grabbed his arm, pushing him back into his seat. 

" _ Arthur." _

It was now or never. 

Look him in the eye. Check. 

Don't look scary. Alright, half check. 

Don't throw up. Uh, we'll get there. 

"Merlin, I've been meaning to tell you something." Those beautiful fawn's eyes looked at him with devotion and concern, unaware and kind, patient. Arthur continued hesitantly.

"We've known each other for quite some time and…." 

He felt sick. Images flashed through his mind: Merlin laughing, Merlin rejecting him, or worse, Merlin accepting him without feeling the same way. He couldn't do it. He just  _ couldn't  _ put Merlin in that position.

"Nevermind." 

A tense silence wafted through the air, dancing on the crackling sounds of the fire. 

With the king's head down, he didn't see the amused, almost pitying smile that was on Merlin's face. 

A warm hand placed itself on top of Arthur's, making him look up. 

"I know." 

Arthur blinked, the wind knocked out of him, incredibly confused but excited. 

"Wh-What?" 

"I know." Merlin repeated softly, almost teasingly. "I have for a while." 

Arthur swallowed heavily, fearful, despite Merlin's amused disposition. "You did?" 

"Yes." 

They stared at each other for a long while. 

Crestfallen, Arthur murmured, the candlelight playing shadows across his face. "I understand if you don't feel the same way-" 

Merlin laughed, loudly, and without hesitation. "You cabbage head! Of course, I love you!" 

Arthur could feel his heart stop pumping. Lightheadedness nuzzled its way into his brain.

Merlin loves him. 

Merlin  _ loves  _ him. 

Merlin loves  _ him.  _

_ Merlin  _ loves him. 

Lost in euphoria, Arthur grinned a lovesick smile. 

"May I...may I…" He cleared his throat, unable to finish the sentence. 

Leaning forward, Merlin pressed his lips against the corner of Arthur's mouth, sending a wild blush running up the king's neck. 

Merlin tilted his head, his tongue darting out to taste his own lips. "Hm. That was…" 

"Weird." Arthur finished for him, almost crying out of relief. 

_ Merlin loves him. _

"In a good way though." Merlin smiling his easy smile, his lips curling upward happily. He pressed another kiss to the other side of Arthur's lips. Yes, it would take some getting used to, but the servant quite liked that blush.

* * *

The woman reappeared to collect her debts the very next day, which was, to be honest, completely fair. They had agreed since she was the only one not to have directly messed with the timing of the confession in some way (Gaius had been attempting to sway Arthur by keeping Merlin busy with his physician duties), and disappeared without another glance. Except this time, as she left, one person - Gwaine - noticed a very familiar pair of boots underneath her skirts. He couldn't stop laughing for an hour, despite the other knights' attempts at calming him down. He immediately stopped upon finding a small purse of gold coins tied to his training sword, which snoozed happily on the rack. 

The knight grinned to himself, taking the purse and tossing it into the air. This would be fun.

* * *

Alright. 

This. 

This was worse than Arthur being in denial. 

Arthur, the unbelievable sod, kissed Merlin square on the mouth in the middle of the training yard, making a dark red blush rise from underneath the servant's shirt all the way to his forehead and ears. 

Arthur had found a new game, and the knights would not be party to it. 

Well, at least, that's what they thought. 


End file.
